I feel like we’re overlooking something here: WVU shut out a college football team Saturday. That doesn’t happen often and hasn’t happened since 2010, so considering the way offenses are these days and that the Mountaineers played a whole lot of reserves for the better part of the entire second half, that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

So there’s some notice.

WVU allowed right around 33 points per game last season and then did just that to the tune of 500-plus yards against Alabama in the opener. Yet it felt different, didn’t it? ‘Twas a misleading 500 yards and 33 points, Spec. I wouldn’t completely disagree.

But 122 yards is no joke, never mind the opponent. The last time WVU was better? Try the 2005 opener at Syracuse. The Orange totaled 103 yards on 57 snaps for an outrageous 1.8 yards per play. There’s been a lot of football and we’ve seen a lot of bad opponents and good defenses since then and Saturday was the best performance in 103 games.

One thing I thought mattered: The opposition. Let me explain, because it transcended merely going from the best of the FBS one week to a so-so FCS outfit the next. Alabama is a big, bad team that’s going to bully you around the ball. WVU won’t see many similar approaches the rest of the way — I’d say none but Kansas State is frisky and Kansas is going to run a ton. Neither, though, will have what Alabama had. I mean, Oklahoma is going to have really good guys, but they skin the cat much, much differently.

Anyhow, Alabama wasn’t a good game for Shaq Riddick and Ed Muldrow and nickel and dime packages. Riddick and Muldrow got pushed around– first game, so … — and the Crimson Tide doesn’t encourage a lot of pass defenses.

WVU’s best personnel and best approaches come from the linebackers and secondary and the, I guess, pass defense combinations Tony Gibson can manipulate. The Mountaineers are most dangerous when guys are angling in from obtuse angles and speeding into the backfield to make tackles or disrupt plays. That’s typical 3-3-5 stuff, and it’s better suited for what WVU will encounter from this point forward, including Maryland, than for what WVU saw in the opener.

Towson was a run-first team, but could’t go player-for-player with the Mountaineers and make them suffer for their approach. The Tigers were quickly forced from their comfort zone and WVU used its aforementioned strengths and did really well. I know, I know: Towson! But that was our first real look at what things should look like as far as who goes where and when. And it was impressive (three sacks, sure, but WVU didn’t do much in the blitz game. Intentionally, I’d guess.).

Try and understand me there, and this isn’t an easy point to articulate. WVU isn’t supposed to shut out teams and give up 122 yards. We know that. But WVU’s defense is one with specific dimensions that can only fit in certain containers. Saturday night was one such container and the rest of the games should be similarly accommodating. Similarly successful? We’ll find out.

I’m talking about money and the power, power and the money. This text is magic. Stan Van Gundy. My edits are in [brackets].

2:13 pm:
Not a drop of rain the whole drive from DC and I get off exit 7 and its a damn monsoon

5:04:
I’LL MANTRIP IF I WANT TO [GUYS]

5:43:
Only took an hour of tailgating to hear cej! Lets go mountaineers!

6:37:
It’s just about an hour before kickoff and no live blog post is up yet. I’m afraid tier 4 is looking past Towson.

(Edit: My laptop died in the Georgia Dome. The work one took me an hour to start Saturday, and we ended up punting that one. I was down to Paul Millard, OK?) 

6:53:
Have to say… .it’s good to be back

7:29:
Do the circle!

7:33:
Big XII logo looks great. Flying WV not so much.

7:35:
Let’s see, I roll in after a day on the road, ready to watch the Eers….735….oh [FINESSE] OFF ROOT SPORTS!

7:40:
The stadium entrance montage makes me want to burn a couch.

7:40:
Wait…this is the jungle?

7:41:
God, clint trickett hair is amazing

7:44:
Places I’m Glad I Don’t Work Right now; Root Sports switchboard, Root Sports Social Media Accounts

7:46:
Kicker captains again. We truly live in a post-Ray Guy in the HOF Era of Good Feelings.

7:48:
Receiver Shell!!

7:49:
The Walls are not grey…WHAT IS THIS SORCERY!?!

7:49:
Hope Iowa St fans get Root Sports. They can see how we don’t fill stadium for our home opener. Bet it’s not cause ppl afraid they wouldn’t have a blue lot spot.

7:50:
I see beach balls. I bet this is displeasing to you.

7:51:
Root sports doesn’t appear to have bothered with the yellow first down line. Quality broadcast stuff going on here.

7:55:
7NA makes its triumphant return

7:56:
Smallwood wins the Shellgame

7:58:
i thought we were done tolling third down.

8:00:
Even from here, I smelled that draw coming

8:01:
Jordan Thompson did good on special teams?! I’m scared….hold me….

8:05:
We’re shooting at our own feet again. The red zone is our DEAD zone

8:08:
These Tigers aren’t yielding anything down here

8:10:
Ask me about the Red Zone offense…

8:10:
With that FG our season is looking longer.

8:11:
Think Clint could get his dad to come up and help out?

8:15:
“All I wanna do is zooma zoom zoom zoom and boom boom / Kick coverage Rumph!”

8:16:
Why is it the only two options inside the five are a run up the middle and a fade to Bolivia?

8:16:
That wasn’t so Noble, was it?

8:20:
We’re up by 10, why don’t it feel like it?

8:30:
Does the red in red zone mean stop?

8:31:
We are what they thought we were.

8:34:
He’s no Phil Brady

8:35:
Towson knows its the second quarter, not the second half right?

8:36:
Fake punt wasn’t bad strategy there. Letting us get into the red zone is effective defense.

8:40:
Finally! A Breakthrough for our man Shell!

8:41:
Rushel Rushel: an erotic journey from end zone to end zone

8:43:
Huggy Bear been hanging out on the Blue Lot

8:45:
Huggy Bear talkin bout wine? Always struck me as a Milwaukees Beast kinda guy…

8:49:
Don’t reel beats the block and the hold to smother the QB

8:52:
I feel like Alford is in a cage just waiting to break loose….he’s a cheetah…

8:52:

8:54:
So, earlier the radio said there is now an official pepperoni roll of the Mountaineers. Way to monetize, IMG.

8:58:
Ok, not only does Mario got speed he’s got skills too…that was special.

8:58:
Alford is Alright!

8:59:
BOLIVIA to White.  It’s bolivia to Alford.

9:00:
Ever get the feeling Dana does stuff to give us the middle finger! “Fade to Mario. F y’all!”

9:00:
They just played the super mario sound byte! that was bedtter than the catch!

9:04:
Keep running it up to stick it to Jim Clements

9:05
A fleaflicker only Jeff Mullen_ could love.

9:05:
TecmoBowl quality flea flicker

9:05:
Kevin White is a grown ass man

9:06:
Slick Trick

9:07:
Once upon a time not long ago, when people wore pajamas and lived life slow…

9:08:
“Me and you, Kev, we gonna make some cash. Robbin’ DBs and makin’ tha dash.”

9:08:
A QB draw? The night is dark and full of terrors, Towson.

9:08:
Ever get the feeling Dana does stuff because you want it? “QB draw – he can do it. Caz says.”

9:08:
I love that Clint left his skirt in the locker room and ran that in. He’s a grown ass man, too.

9:09:
Straight ‘n narrow or yo soul gets cast.

9:09:
I hope dana don’t take his foot off the gas.

9:10:
Mobile Hairdo is a preferable hairdo

9:12:
Great job ROOT. You joined the game just in time for the halftime show.

9:14:
Can we get an injury update on the Honky Tonkery Man from Jimmy Hart or is the Mouth of the South otherwise detained?

9:14:
Well, this is going much better than last years home opener…

9:46:
Jordan Thompson out here scoring TDs…this is Carcosa & Dana is truly the Yellow King…

9:46:
14 of last 15…Yeah, Trickett needs more reps

9:46:
Everybody Squirt!!! Wait, no. Do not.

9:51:
Let’s get Crest in there, Dana! It’s the only reason I’m still watching!

9:53:
#2 says “Don’t throw it to me!!”

9:53:
We want Crest! We want Crest!

9:55:
I’m starting to feel there’s a “W” at the end of this one.

9:57:
There’s a Dakiel loose in the secondary!!

10:00:
I mean…I know it’s only Towson…but given the positives achieved against Bama & the way the ball is moving tonight; can people come back from the “FIR

10:00:
E DANA” ledge?

10:01:
CLAYMATION

10:03:
Trickett worst throw of night still a Td

10:05:
Well.  Guess it was simply his worst throw of the night.

10:05:
FRIG THAT. That was a catch. Make it up Defense.

10:05:
The Safety Dance wasn’t as safe as they said it was

10:11:
I’m a crest kid

10:12:
Crest needs some polish. Get it?

10:13:
Marquis Lucas moonlights as a matador

10:13:
A minute thirty left on the third. 40-0. Why is Trickett still in?

10:13:
No!

10:13:
HCDH burns Crest’s redshirt for a fumble.

10:14:
Welcome, Mr. Crest.  It’s only Towson, but it isn’t high school.

10:15:
Cue Yaketty…. oh nevermind… Kid is a freshman.  I am gonna have a celebrator

10:16:
Preceding msg modified, Media objects were removed

10:17:
I just missed the tipped pass play b/c I was too busy laughing at the 1-800-gambler ad beside the wv lottery ad

10:24:
BABA BUIE!

10:27:
And WV CREST gives first TD of many!!!!!

10:28:
Ain’t nobody dope as me, I’m just so Crest so clean

10:28:
When did we get a kicker named Molina???

10:30:
#CrestMightStrips

10:33:
Can we play Towson’s O line every week?

10:39:
Baba Buie fafa first down

10:41:
Undefeated with decorative field walls!

10:52:
Boomstache

10:58:
What’s the trophy for the Friends of Jim Clements Bowl? A letter of resignation?